Leveling instrument.



A. .I. MOONEN.

LEVELING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAYB. 1914.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

1N VENTOR.

A J MOO/YEN- ARNOLD J. MOONEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL AUTOMATIC L'EVEL AND "INCT'RUM-ENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

LEVELING- INSTRUMENT.

meat-iii.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1st, 1915..

Application filed May 8, 1914.. Serial No. 837,225.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARNOLD J. MooNEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the countyof Denverand State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leveling Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto leveling instruments and its primary object resides in providing in connection with an instrument of this character, mechanism of improved construction to accurately and speedily designate the angle at which a given surface to which the instrument is applied, extends with reference to a vertical or horizontal V line.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of means which enable the operator to read an angle determined by the use of the instrument at different points thereof.

In accordance with my invention, the instrument comprises in cooperative relation to a pair of circular dials which are applied at opposite sides of a straight-edged bar,

pointers which through the instrumentality of a transmission gearing are connected with a pivoted plumb-bob. This plumb-bob consists of a vessel having inclined runways -which extend in the plane of its arcuate movement and converge toward a pocket which normally is positioned in the perpendicular passing through the axis of 0s cillation of the vessel. Recesses at the ends of the runways are provided for the compression of airto aid in compelling a liquid with which the vessel is partly filled, to bring the bob and the parts operatively connected therewith, to a condition of rest.

The liquid contained in the vessel is preferably composed of a body of mercury to are added proportionately small quantities of oil and alcohol, the former of which is provided to prevent corrosion and lubricate the surfaces with which the mercury comes in contact, while the other serves 'to keep the oil from congealing in cold plumb-bob, a graduated arc, the graduations of which may be read through sight openings in the upper and lower surfaces of rings 4:.

guide-ways .6 at opposite sides of the bar are provided to protect the plates 3 when the bar to designate the angle at which the latter is placed with relation to a horizontal or vertical plane.

The gearing which transmits the movement of the oscillating plumb-bob to the pointers is proportioned to cause the pointers to move at a greater velocity than the hob, and the circular scales on the dials are divided into degrees which are correspondingly larger than those of the circle in which the bob has its movement.

\Vhile in the accompanying drawings my invention has been illustrated as applied to What is commonly known as a spirit level,

I desire it understood that the same may be equally effectively used in connection of the operating mechanism broken away,

Fig. 3, a section taken along the line 33, Fig. 2, Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of the plumb-bob used in the instrument, and Fig. 5, a perspective view of the pivoted scale which is operatively connected with the plumbbob.

Referring more specifically to the draw ings, the reference numeral 2 designates the bar of a level which has a transverse cylindrical bore in which the operating mechanism is mounted, and which is closed at opposite sides of the bar by means of glass plates 3 held in place by the use ofretaining Covers 5 which are slidable in the instrument is not in use.

The operative parts of themechanism are mounted in a casing which is fitted in the bore of the bar and which is composed of a hollow, metallic cylinder 7 closed at its ends by means of the dial plates 8. Disposed within the casing in connection with its cylindrical. wall, are webs 9 which provide hearings in alinement with the axis of the same, and brackets 10 and 12 are securedto thedial plates respectively in spaced relation to their outer and inner surfaces, for

the rotary support of parts of the transmission gearing employed to mcrease the movementof the pointers of the instrument relative to the oscillating motion of the plumbbob. Pivotally mounted between the webs 9, in the axis of the casing, is the main arbor 13 from. which the plumb bob 1 1 is suspended and which Carries the graduated, arcuate scale 15 at the end of an upwardly extending stem 16.

The plumb-bob consists of a vessel which comprises a-neck 17 by means of which it is attached to the arbor, and a bottom surface composed of a central pocket 18, and

two runways 19 which diverge upwardly and oppositely from the pocket. The portions of the vessel at the ends of the runways are contracted to provide recesses 20 for the compression of air by liquid entering the same during the oscillating movement of the vessel.

The mercury contained in the vessel is designated by the numeral 21, and the oil and alcohol by the numeral 22.

The pointers 24 placed exteriorly of the dials are secured upon arbors 25 which extending through central openings in the dials, are pivoted in axial alinement with the main arbor between the brackets 10 and the adjacent webs 9. The arbors 25 carry at points between the dials and the webs, inions 26 which mesh with gear-wheels 2 of greater diameter on the counter arbors 28 which are rotatably supported between the inner surfaces of the dials and the brackets on, the main arbor, oscillates in unison with the plumb-bob, is visible through sight openings 31 which are formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the bar axiall T in the ver- I tical line in which the pocket 18 of the bob is positioned when the level is in a horizontal position.

V The provision in the plumb-bob of two runways which diverge oppositely from a central pocket, compels the mercury to speedily find its position of rest and thereby arrest the movement of the pointers after-the equilibrium of the bob has been disturbed, and the recesses formed at the ends of the runways aid in compelling the mercury to 7 move toward the pocket in the center of the vessel, by the compression of air when the liquid enters the same.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with a dial and a pivoted pointer cooperating therewith, of means including a pivoted plumb-bob controlling the movement of said pointer and comprising a vessel, the bottom of which has a central pocket and runways diverging oppositely therefrom in a plane transverse to the pivotal axis of the poise, and a liquid in said vessel.

2. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with a dial and a pivoted pointer cooperating therewith, of means including a pivoted plumb-bob controlling the movement of said pointer and comprising a vessel the bottom of which has runways diverging oppositely from a central point thereof, in a plane transverse to the pivotal axis of the poise, and recesses formed at the ends of said runways for the compression of air by liquid entering the same, and a liquid in said vessel.

3. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with a dial and a pivoted pointer cooperating therewith, of means including a pivoted plumb-bob controlling the movement of said pointer and comprising a vessel the bottom of which has a central pocket, runways diverging oppositely therefrom in a plane transverse to the pivotal axis of the poise, and recesses formed at the ends of said runways for the compression of air by liquid entering the same, and a liquid in said vessel.

at. In an instrument of the class described, an element having a chamber, coaxial dials at the opposite ends of said chamber, pointers cooperating with said dials, a plumb hob within said chamber, said pointers and said plumb bob being separately mounted for movement about a common axis coincident with that of the dials, and gearing for transmitting the movement of said bob to said pointers for their synchronous movements through angles of greater magnitude.

5. In an instrument of the class described, an element having a chamber, coaxial dials at opposite sides thereof, pointers codperating with said dials, a plumb-bob within said chamber, said plumb-bob and said pointers being separately mounted for movement about a common axis coincident with that of the dials, gear wheels connected with said plumb-bob at opposite sides thereof, gear wheels connected with said pointers, and gearings mounted at opposite sides of said common axis respectively in operative engagement with said gear wheels and the respective pinions, for transmitting the movements of the plumb-bob to the pointers at an increased angular velocity.

6. In an instrument of the class described,

an element having a chamber, coaxial dials same and with the two pointers, for transat opposite sides thereof, pointers cooperatmitting the movements of the plumb-bob ing with said dials, a plumb-bob Within said synchronously to the two pointers at an in-' chamber, said plumb-bob and said pointers creased angular velocity.

o' being separately mounted for movement In testimony whereof I have aflixed my about a common axis coincident with that of signature in presence of two witnesses.

the dials, gear wheels connected with said ARNOLD J. MOONEN. plumb-bob at opposite sides thereof, and Witnesses: gear-trains mounted at opposite sides of the G. J. ROLLANDET,

l0 plumb-bob in operative connection with the L. RHOADns.

( opics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i 

